Scotch College

Boarders' workshop sessions are fun and functional

Lachie Cohen and Alex Williamson at work

Every Friday at 7.30 pm in term time, Graeme Boykett opens the boarding house workshop and greets an eager group of boarders from Years 7, 8 and 9 who have come to find out all they can about woodworking, metalworking and welding.

Dean of Boarding, Doug Galbraith says the boys really enjoy their time with Graeme; he is a well-respected role model and mentor to his young charges.

‘Graeme’s Friday night workshop sessions help the boys let off a bit of steam after a week of study and sport, and they look forward to their time in the workshop,’ Mr Galbraith says. ‘There’s another session on Sunday afternoons, as well.’ The output includes tool boxes, storage boxes, model boats, and wrought iron creations including flower pots, ornaments and sculptures.

Mr Galbraith says although the sessions are fun, there is also a practical side to the weekend workshops: ‘Many of the boys come from farms, so the skills they learn in the workshop will be useful at home. Parents might well appreciate that! For example, one enterprising boarder even made a wrought iron gate which he took home in the holidays for his parents’ farm.

‘Importantly, the workshop sessions make quite a change from staring at a computer screen, and they are certainly more productive than playing video games.

‘Some of the creations require a considerable degree of skill. For example, recently a group of boys made surfboards. They meticulously shaped, cut and sandpapered the wood, applied fibreglass resin and finished the boards off with a coat of paint.

‘The boards certainly looked professional, but of course the real test was how they’d perform in the surf.

‘Under the supervision of boarding house Activities Coordinator, Tim Bence, one weekend in fourth term the boys took the boards to Torquay surf beach, and tried out them out most successfully. They are justifiably proud of what they have achieved.’ As an adjunct to the weekend workshops, several Year 9 boarders took a ‘tool appreciation’ course at Swinburne University during fourth term. They learned how to use a range of tools safely and competently, and gained important practical knowledge.

The boys’ newly acquired skills come in very handy during working bees at Gordon Owen Lodge, Mansfield. Woodworking skills are most useful when furniture, shelves or benches need repairing, or fences require restoration.

Mr Galbraith says the workshop sessions form part of a wellrounded boarding house life for the young boys, and teach them skills which will serve them well wherever their future endeavours may take them.

David Ashton